Insulated container

Abstract

An insulated container assembly includes an outer box defining a box cavity; and an insulated insert positioned within the box cavity, the insulated insert including a pair of opposing side panels including a first side panel and a second side panel; and a pair of opposing main panels including a first main panel and a second main panel, the first main panel connected to the first side panel by a first crease line, the second main panel connected to the first side panel by a second crease line, the second main panel connected to the second side panel by a third crease line, the pair of opposing side panels and the pair of opposing main panels defining a top end and a bottom end of the insulated insert, the first crease line, the second crease line, and the third crease line extending from the top end to the bottom end.

That which is claimed is: 
     
       1. An insulated container assembly comprising:
 an outer box defining a box cavity, the outer box comprising cardboard; and 
 an insulated insert positioned within the box cavity, the insulated insert comprising:
 a pair of opposing side panels comprising a first side panel and a second side panel; and 
 a pair of opposing main panels comprising a first main panel and a second main panel, the first main panel connected to the first side panel by a first crease line, the second main panel connected to the first side panel by a second crease line, the second main panel connected to the second side panel by a third crease line, the pair of opposing side panels and the pair of opposing main panels defining a top end and a bottom end of the insulated insert, the first crease line, the second crease line, and the third crease line extending from the top end to the bottom end; and 
 
 the insulated insert defined by an insulated blank, the insulated blank comprising an insulation batt adhesively attached to a sheet, the insulation batt comprising a repulpable insulation material, the repulpable insulation material comprising paper fiber and thermoplastic binder fibers interlocking the paper fiber, a first portion of the thermoplastic binder fibers defining a length of 1 mm, a second portion of the thermoplastic binder fibers defining a length of 6 mm, the repulpable insulation material producing 93% or greater fiber yield when subjected to a repulpability test, the sheet comprising cardboard, the insulation batt and the sheet extending continuously through the first crease line, the second crease line, and the third crease line, the sheet facing inward and at least partially defining an insulated container cavity within the insulated insert, the pair of opposing side panels and the pair of opposing main panels defining an opening to the insulated container cavity at the top end. 
 
     
     
       2. The insulated container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the insulated blank defines a first end and an second end; 
 the first end is defined opposite from the second end; 
 the first main panel is defined at the first end; 
 the second side panel is defined at the second end; and 
 the first end contacts the second end at an intersection between the first main panel and the second main panel. 
 
     
     
       3. The insulated container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the insulated insert further comprises a bottom panel disposed at the bottom end. 
     
     
       4. The insulated container assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the bottom panel is attached to at least one of the first main panel, the second main panel, the first side panel, and the second side panel. 
     
     
       5. The insulated container assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the thermoplastic binder fibers are bi-component fibers comprising polyethylene and polypropylene; and 
 the repulpable insulation material comprises 10% thermoplastic binder fibers by weight. 
 
     
     
       6. A method of assembling an insulated container assembly, the method comprising:
 folding a first main panel of an insulated liner about a first crease line relative to a first side panel of the insulated liner; 
 folding a second main panel of the insulated liner about a second crease line relative to the first side panel; 
 folding a second side panel of the insulated liner about a third crease line relative to the second main panel, the insulated liner defined by an insulated blank, the insulated blank comprising an insulation batt adhesively attached to a sheet, the sheet comprising cardboard, the insulation batt comprising a repulpable insulation material, the repulpable insulation material comprising paper fiber and thermoplastic binder fibers interlocking the paper fiber, a first portion of the thermoplastic binder fibers defining a length of 1 mm, a second portion of the thermoplastic binder fibers defining a length of 6 mm, the repulpable insulation material producing 93% or greater fiber yield when subjected to a repulpability test, the insulation batt and the sheet extending continuously through the first crease line, the second crease line, and the third crease line; 
 positioning the first main panel in contact with the second side panel; 
 inserting the insulated liner into a box cavity of a cardboard box, the cardboard box comprising a plurality of box side panels, the sheet at least partially defining an insulated container cavity within the box cavity; 
 positioning the first main panel in contact with a first box side panel of the plurality of box side panels; 
 positioning the first side panel in contact with a second box side panel of the plurality of box side panels; 
 positioning the second main panel in contact with a third box side panel of the plurality of box side panels; and 
 positioning the second side panel in contact with a fourth box side panel of the plurality of box side panels. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the sheet is a first sheet; 
 the insulated blank further comprises a second sheet; and 
 the first sheet and the second sheet encapsulate the insulation batt. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the cardboard box further comprises a box bottom panel; 
 the insulation liner further comprises a bottom panel; and 
 the method further comprises positioning the bottom panel in contact with the box bottom panel. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the bottom panel is defined by the insulated blank. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the bottom panel is attached to at least a one of the first main panel, the second main panel, the first side panel, and the second side panel. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the insulated blank defines a first end and a second end; 
 the first end is defined opposite from the second end; 
 the first main panel is defined at the first end; and 
 the second side panel is defined at the second end. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the thermoplastic binder fibers are bi-component fibers comprising polyethylene and polypropylene; and 
 the repulpable insulation material comprises 10% thermoplastic binder fibers by weight. 
 
     
     
       13. An insulated container comprising:
 a first main panel; 
 a first side panel connected to the first main panel by a first crease line; 
 a second main panel connected to the first side panel by a second crease line; and 
 a second side panel connected to the second main panel by a third crease line, the first main panel, the first side panel, the second main panel, and the second side panel at least partially defining an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface defined by a first sheet of paper-based material, the first sheet at least partially defining a container cavity, the outer surface defined by a second sheet of paper-based material, an insulation batt positioned between the first sheet and the second sheet, the insulation batt adhered to the first sheet, the insulation batt extending through the first crease line, the second crease line, and the third crease line, the insulation batt comprising a repulpable insulation material, the repulpable insulation material comprising paper fiber and thermoplastic binder fibers interlocking the paper fiber, a first portion of the thermoplastic binder fibers defining a length of 1 mm, a second portion of the thermoplastic binder fibers defining a length of 6 mm, the repulpable insulation material producing 93% or greater fiber yield when subjected to a repulpability test. 
 
     
     
       14. The insulated container of  claim 13 , wherein the first main panel, the first side panel, the second main panel, and the second side panel define a top end and a bottom end, and wherein the first crease line, the second crease line, and the third crease line extend from the top end to the bottom end. 
     
     
       15. The insulated container of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the first main panel, the first side panel, the second main panel, and the second side panel are defined by an insulated blank; 
 the insulated blank defines a first end and a second end; 
 the first end defined opposite from the second end; 
 the first main panel defined at the first end; 
 the second side panel defined at the second end; and 
 the first end contacting the second end at an intersection between the first main panel and the second side panel. 
 
     
     
       16. The insulated container of  claim 13 , wherein the first sheet and the second sheet comprise cardboard. 
     
     
       17. The insulated container of  claim 13 , wherein the second sheet is positioned in facing contact with the insulation batt. 
     
     
       18. The insulated container of  claim 17 , wherein the second sheet is coupled to the insulation batt. 
     
     
       19. The insulated container of  claim 18 , wherein the insulation batt is encapsulated between the first sheet and the second sheet. 
     
     
       20. The insulated container of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the thermoplastic binder fibers are bi-component fibers comprising polyethylene and polypropylene; and 
 the repulpable insulation material comprises 10% thermoplastic binder fibers by weight. 
 
     
     
       21. An insulated container comprising:
 a main panel; and 
 a side panel attached to the main panel, the main panel and the side panel at least partially defining a container cavity within the insulated container; and 
 wherein the main panel and the side panel comprise a repulpable insulation material, the repulpable insulation material comprising paper fiber and thermoplastic binder fibers interlocking the paper fiber, a first portion of the thermoplastic binder fibers defining a length of 1 mm, a second portion of the thermoplastic binder fibers defining a length of 6 mm, the repulpable insulation material producing 93% or greater fiber yield when subjected to a repulpability test. 
 
     
     
       22. The insulated container of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the main panel and the side panel are defined by an insulated blank; 
 the insulated blank comprises a first sheet; 
 the first sheet faces the container cavity; 
 the first sheet at least partially defines a blank cavity within the insulated blank; and 
 the repulpable insulation material is at least partially positioned within the blank cavity. 
 
     
     
       23. The insulated container of  claim 22 , wherein:
 the insulated blank further comprises a second sheet; 
 the first sheet is attached to the second sheet; 
 the second sheet further defines the blank cavity; and 
 the repulpable insulation material is at least encapsulated within the blank cavity. 
 
     
     
       24. The insulated container of  claim 22 , wherein the repulpable insulation material forms an insulation batt, and wherein the insulation batt is at least partially encapsulated within the blank cavity. 
     
     
       25. The insulated container of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the main panel is a first main panel of an opposing pair of main panels; 
 the opposing pair of main panels comprises a second main panel; 
 the side panel is a first side panel of an opposing pair of side panels; 
 the opposing pair of side panels comprises a second side panel; 
 the first main panel is attached to both the first side panel and the second side panel; and 
 the second main panel is attached to both the first side panel and the second side panel. 
 
     
     
       26. The insulated container of  claim 21 , further comprising an insulated panel, the insulated panel comprising an insulation batt, the insulation batt being repulpable, the insulated panel contacting the main panel and the side panel. 
     
     
       27. The insulated container of  claim 26 , wherein:
 the insulated panel is positioned within the container cavity; and 
 the insulated panel partitions the container cavity into a first subcavity and a second subcavity. 
 
     
     
       28. The insulated container of  claim 26 , wherein:
 the main panel and the side panel define an opening to the container cavity; and 
 the insulated panel covers the opening. 
 
     
     
       29. The insulated container of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the thermoplastic binder fibers are bi-component fibers comprising polyethylene and polypropylene; and 
 the repulpable insulation material comprises 10% thermoplastic binder fibers by weight.